What Young Adults Know About The Factors That Affect Fertility?

Abstract

Introduction

The literature has shown that young adults reveal lack of knowledge about factors that influence fertility. Given this gap of knowledge regarding fertility, several authors indicate the need for awareness-raising and promotion of attitudes and behaviors that preserve fertility.

Objective

This study aimed to assess the knowledge about factors that affect fertility as well as the impact of information transmission on this topic.

Materials and methods

Five hundred and fifty-one subjects aged between 18 and 40 years old without children completed an online questionnaire specifically developed for this study. Two assessment moments were considered and participants were randomly assigned to three groups:

– video group;

– website group;

– control group.

The video and website groups accessed information on fertility-related factos such as age, weight, exercise, substance abuse, irregular menstrual cycles, pollution, etc. The control group had no access to this information.

Results

Male participants revealed more knowledge about the factors that affect fertility in both moments. Participants in the groups that had access to fertility information (video group and website group) improved their level of expertise. No significant differences were found in the control group.

Discussion/conclusion

Groups that watched the video or visited the website where information on fertility-related lifestyle and other factors was available increased their level of knowledge, suggesting that education on this subject should be provided to general population. The means used for the information dissemination had no impact on the improvement of knowledge.

Disclosure of interest

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.